Well, FP1 & FP2 cancelled I believe due to bad fog and the helicopter can't fly, rider safety comes in to play (as it should) and I think they've just called time on it again. not sure where that leaves Mr Redding? he was passed fit to ride in both FP1&2 sessions before then having to go back to medical to be assessed, even if they just move that timescale forward to FP3 it's just a lack of track time for him which isn't going to help
He's been passed fit (as has Stefan Bradl). The call off will also help Lorenzo and Hayden as both are on their last 'race' engine, and are using tired motors in practice and qualifying.
Latest update Japanese MotoGP: New Motegi MotoGP schedule announced | Page 1 | MotoGP News | Oct 2013 | Crash.Net damn that fog! itll be tiring for all concerned now, especially redding if it all gets pushed back to plan C
Has anybody seen the latest bollock dropped by Honda? They've tweeted a link to the Marquez title winning page, shows him holding the trophy etc Talk about social media cock up
Lorenzo on pole, Maq second, Nicky Hayden third...... yes front row View attachment 21128 Motegi MotoGP qualifying practice - conditions wet 1 99 Jorge LORENZO SPA Yamaha Factory Racing YAMAHA 1'53.471 24 25 293.8 2 93 Marc MARQUEZ SPA Repsol Honda Team HONDA 1'54.129 26 27 0.658 0.658 301.5 3 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Team DUCATI 1'54.539 26 29 1.068 0.410 293.7 4 26 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team HONDA 1'54.542 20 28 1.071 0.003 300.8 5 46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Yamaha Factory Racing YAMAHA 1'54.732 28 29 1.261 0.190 295.8 6 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Ducati Team DUCATI 1'55.036 25 25 1.565 0.304 295.8 7 19 Alvaro BAUTISTA SPA GO&FUN Honda Gresini HONDA 1'55.135 24 26 1.664 0.099 299.6 8 6 Stefan BRADL GER LCR Honda MotoGP HONDA 1'55.610 20 28 2.139 0.475 299.0 9 41 Aleix ESPARGARO SPA Power Electronics Aspar ART 1'55.719 19 27 2.248 0.109 288.7 10 68 Yonny HERNANDEZ COL Ignite Pramac Racing DUCATI 1'55.998 27 30 2.527 0.279 294.2 11 35 Cal CRUTCHLOW GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YAMAHA 1'56.058 23 25 2.587 0.060 293.7 12 21 Katsuyuki NAKASUGA JPN Yamaha YSP Racing Team YAMAHA 1'56.125 23 25 2.654 0.067 294.0 13 38 Bradley SMITH GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YAMAHA 1'57.114 17 23 3.643 0.989 289.3 14 5 Colin EDWARDS USA NGM Mobile Forward RacingFTR KAWASAKI 1'57.297 25 25 3.826 0.183 284.2 15 29 Andrea IANNONE ITA Energy T.I. Pramac Racing DUCATI 1'57.347 26 26 3.876 0.050 288.9 16 9 Danilo PETRUCCI ITA Came IodaRacing Project IODA-SUTER 1'57.540 28 29 4.069 0.193 281.8 17 14 Randy DE PUNIET FRA Power Electronics Aspar ART 1'57.715 23 24 4.244 0.175 281.7 18 7 Hiroshi AOYAMA JPN Avintia Blusens FTR 1'57.994 22 22 4.523 0.279 287.6 19 70 Michael LAVERTY GBR Paul Bird Motorsport ART 1'58.540 25 26 5.069 0.546 283.7 20 23 Luca SCASSA ITA Cardion AB Motoracing ART 1'58.802 25 25 5.331 0.262 281.9 21 71 Claudio CORTI ITA NGM Mobile Forward RacingFTR KAWASAKI 1'59.617 26 26 6.146 0.815 282.3 22 8 Hector BARBERA SPA Avintia Blusens FTR 1'59.646 25 27 6.175 0.029 284.4 23 50 Damian CUDLIN AUS Paul Bird Motorsport PBM 2'00.982 23 23 7.511 1.336 280.5 Not qualified (Out 107%) 2'01.414 67 Bryan STARING AUS GO&FUN Honda Gresini FTR HONDA 2'02.712 25 25 9.241 1.730 274.9 52 Lukas PESEK CZE Came IodaRacing Project IODA-SUTER 2'02.932 20 21 9.461 0.220 277.9 Air: 13° Ground: 16° Humidity: 90% - See more at: MotoGP Motegi: All Saturday's qualifying times | Bikesport News | BSB, MotoGP News
“I am normally really strong in qualifying, so to be outside of the top 10 for the first time this season is obviously not where I expected to be. I was confident I could be in the top six because I am usually very fast in the wet and I was second in the rain at Le Mans earlier in the season. But on my last front tyre when the track was drying out, I couldn’t stop the bike for some reason. I pushed hard to improve but three times in the last two laps I ran off into the gravel and it is a shame because on one lap I was going to make a big improvement and gain a few places. It is going to be a very tough race from 11th on the grid but it looks like it could be a dry race, so hopefully it will be dry in the morning practice and we are not going into the race having never tried a dry set-up or slick tyres. At least it was good to finally go out after all the problems with the weather and hopefully after their patience the Japanese crowd will get to see an exciting battle.”
Lorenzo did a great job today and Rossi was there except for two mistakes. He caught and passed both Cal and Bradley easily after. Shame he couldnt use the big discs! And TV failed to catch what happened with Hayden and Dovi, coz cole laps to go Dovi had a fair lead but Hayden beat him by some distance...mistake or another heave pass from Hayden?!
What can you say about Espargaro? He took his chance in the biggest possible way, and is a deserving champion. Shame about Redding, but that's racing. Lorenzo continues to go up in my estimation. And why is it motogp rookies seem to be able to bounce better than the others? Marquez should be in traction after that warm up crash!
